The Folsom City Council held a special meeting Monday evening at City Hall to swear in two newly elected council members and select the city’s Mayor and Vice Mayor for the upcoming term.
During the session, Justin Raithel and Barbara Leary officially joined the Council after taking the oath of office. Raithel, representing District 2, and Leary, representing District 4, fill the vacancies left by former council members Rosario Rodriguez and YK Chalamcherla.
Rodriguez is transitioning to her new role as Sacramento County Supervisor following her recent election. Chalamcherla opted not to seek re-election and will now serve on the Folsom Cordova Unified School Board.
Raithel secured the District 2 seat with 38.56% of the vote, outpacing his closest competitor, Dustin Silva, who received 31.07%. Although this marks his first term on the Council, Raithel has an extensive history of civic engagement in Folsom.
A longtime resident and community volunteer, Raithel has served on the Folsom and Sacramento County Planning Commissions, advocating for walkable neighborhoods, safety improvements, and the preservation of open spaces. As a founding member of Folsom’s Community Service Day and a past Rotary Club of Folsom president, he has led numerous projects to enhance local parks and trails.
Raithel, who was named Volunteer of the Year by the Folsom Chamber of Commerce in 2020, also founded the “Neighbors Helping Seniors” program to assist elderly residents with home winterization. Professionally, he is a licensed engineer and a partner in a medical software startup.
Leary won her District 4 seat with 46.77% of the vote, defeating her nearest opponent, Jim Ortega, who garnered 41.20%.
A Folsom resident since 1992, Leary’s career as a nurse practitioner at UC Davis Medical Center parallels her deep involvement in local conservation and community development. She co-founded the Natoma Station Community Organization and has served on the Folsom Parks and Recreation Commission and Arts and Cultural Commission. Most recently, she was a member of the Folsom Planning Commission, where she prioritized land use compatibility and the preservation of open spaces.
Aquino named Mayor, Raithel Vice Mayor
After the swearing-in ceremony, the Council unanimously elected Sarah Aquino to return as Mayor and Raithel was elected as Vice Mayor, with votes from all council members, except Anna Rohrbough who voted for herself.
Aquino, first elected to the City Council in 2018, has served in various leadership roles, including Mayor in 2020 and Vice Mayor in 2019 and 2021. She represents Folsom on multiple regional boards, such as the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District and the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Corridor JPA. In addition to her public service, Aquino runs her family’s insurance agency and is a former Folsom Chamber of Commerce chair and PTA president.
Departing Rodriguez, Chalamcherla honored for service
The meeting also recognized outgoing council members Rosario Rodriguez and YK Chalamcherla for their years of service.
Rodriguez, elected to the Council in 2020, was a small business owner and former healthcare manager before entering public service. She previously served on the Historic District Commission and multiple community boards. Rodriguez will succeed retiring Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost in January.
Chalamcherla, elected to the Council in 2020, brought decades of public service experience, including roles with the State of California and as a Folsom Parks & Recreation commissioner. He was named the 2022 Volunteer of the Year by the Folsom Chamber of Commerce and is widely known for his extensive community involvement.
The newly seated Folsom City Council will hold its first regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
Monday’s meeting was still wrapping up at the time of this publishing, which will be updated with additional details and more Folsom City Council news.
